Taxation and Customs: Delivering to Member States, citizens and businesses post-2014

Brussels, 09 November 2011 – EU Customs and Taxation policy make a substantial contribution in helping to raise revenues for the EU and Member States' budgets every year. In addition, these policies deliver considerable benefits to EU citizens and business, whether it is through blocking unsafe or illegal imports, facilitating smooth trade and a strong Internal Market, or cutting compliance costs and red tape for cross-border companies.

In order to build on this work and be fully equipped to meet future challenges in these fields, the European Commission today adopted a proposal for the FISCUS programme. With a budget of 777.6 million euro, the programme will run for 7 years from January 1 2014.

Algirdas Šemeta, Commissioner for Taxation, Customs, Anti-fraud and Audit, said: "This new programme reflects our ambitions for taxation and customs in the years ahead. Through FISCUS, the EU will continue to protect our citizens, businesses and budgets, while improving our capacity to meet new challenges that may lie ahead."

FISCUS will support the cooperation between customs and tax authorities and other parties, to help maximise their efficiency and avoid mismatches in their work, which could hinder the Internal Market. The programme also provides the possibility of country-specific assistance when particular challenges call for it. It will facilitate networking, joint actions and training amongst tax and customs personnel, while also funding cutting-edge IT systems to enable the development of fully fledged e-administrations in customs and tax. By relying on shared development of IT, every euro spent jointly can generate cost-savings of at least four times as much for Member States.

The objectives of FISCUS are to protect the financial interests of the EU and Member States, facilitate trade, ensure the safety and security of EU citizens, improve the capacities of customs and tax authorities, and implement EU legislation in these fields. Having assessed the challenges for the years ahead, the Commission proposes that particular focus is also given to fighting fraud, reducing administrative burdens and cooperating with third countries.

FISCUS will also contribute to the EU's broader objectives by strengthening the Internal Market and the Customs Union, promoting growth and innovation by protecting intellectual property rights at the borders, and contributing to the development of a digital Internal Market.

Background

FISCUS merges the current two separate programmes for taxation and customs into one, thereby meeting simplification and cost-cutting goals of the Commission without compromising the activities in these individual areas.

Next steps

The draft Regulation will now be discussed by the Council and the European Parliament, with a view to adoption by the end of 2012, so that the new programme can start on 1 January 2014.

Negotiations on the Multiannual Financial Framework for the whole EU budget will continue in parallel. (MEMO/11/468)